Fuse



Aug. 17 9 1926. 3,596,224

S. WILEY FUSE Filed June 30, 1924 I9 24 j; m i f 6 HI 27 /6 26 5 6 I 7 aa fi 6 I e: H 2 ||i| 6 HI 5/ e: 1 a

IN VENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Aug.. 17, 1926.; v

- UNITED STATES SAMUEL WILEY, METUGHEN, NEW'JERSEY.

FUSE.

Application filed June 30, 1924. Serial- No. 723,370.

(GRANTED.UNDER THE ACT E MARCH 3, 1883; 22 STA'LVII. 625.)

The subject of this invention is a fuse. In releasing flares and signalsfrom aircraft. they are usually made to function after a predeterminedinterval of time by an igniting mechanism associated with their travelearthward. It mayalso be desirable to release incendiary shells and highexplosive bombs against hostile aircraft or troops so that a burst maybe secured in midair.

Fuses heretofore used with the above classes of material arm the firingmechanism by means of an air propeller which may screw a shaft orspindle into the fuse to prime a primer or unscrew the shaft to releaseaplunger. In these fuses the friction on the shaft or spindle results ina considerable variation in arming time and renders uncertain the exactdistance below the aircraft at which the projectile will ex- T, also,provide a novel .and etficient method a .30 for holding the plunger inretracted posi tion and for releasing the plunger to prime the primer.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of elements described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims form ing a part of this specification. Y

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my fuse; and F ig.*2 is asectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference: a

The fuse body 10 comprises a cylindrical casing forms with an apertureddividing wall 11' for retaining the priming mechanism and also servingto define a chamber 12, carrying an explosive charge 13. The

upper end of the fuse body terminates in. an annular flange 14 to seatupon a pro ec-' tile (not shown) with which the bod is 55 in threadedengagement. The portion 0 the body above the dividing wall 11 is boredand counteredbored, .an inclined surface 15 uniting the two bores.

The flanged terminus 14 is tapped for the reception of a guide plug 16adapted to be partially inserted within the counterbored portion of thebody 10 and also seated on the upper face of the flange 14. The lowerend of the plug 16 is formed with a beveled surface 17 spaced asufiicient distance from the inclined surface 15 when assembled so thatit may cooperate therewith in acting as a cam for withdrawing a searelement from the plunger into the counterbored portion of the body. Theupper portion of the plug is formed with converging walls and a cap 18at its smallest diameter to overlap the conical portion of'the plug. Thecap 18 is provided with apertures 19 for the reception of locking meansto hold a propeller against rotation. The plug is centrally aper-- turedto threadedly receive a shaft or spindle 20, one end of which normallyrests upon the wall 11 of the body 10. The outer terminus of the spindleis reduced to form a lug 21 embraced by a washer 22 and a hub 23 formedwith propeller blades or vanes 24:. The hub 23 is keyed to the lug 21 sothat when revolved by the action of the air on the propeller bladesduring flight the spindle will be unscrewed and partiallly withdrawnfrom the plug 16. If desired, the spindle may be formed integrally withthe propeller to constitute 1ts shaft.

The spindle 20 ishollowed throu h the greater part of its length toenclosea p unger element formedwith an enlarged head 25 which has asliding fit in the spindle 20 and which is formed with a firingpin 26.The base 27 of the plunger is embraced by a spring 28 under compressionconfined within the spindle and abutting the spindle and the base of theenlargedhead 25.

The enlarged head 25 of the plunger is formed with an annular groove 28'adapted to receive a sear element comprising a bolt 29 which extendsthrough an aperture in the spindle and is formed with a beveled head 30conforming to the curvature of the inner wall of the fuse body 10 .andreciprocable therein until cammed out of engageinent with the plunger bythe beveled lower end 17 of the plug 16. Y A plug 31 is threaded intothe apertured dividing wall 11 in alignment with the spindle and carriesa primer 32 exposed to the firing pin 26. The plug is formed with a port33 for communicating the flash from the primer to the explosive charge13 as shown, or it may be made to communicate with a time train elementto relay'ignition to the explosive charge after a predeterminedinterval. 7

During storage and transportation the spindle is held against rotationby a cotter pin 34 passing through apertures in the propeller hub 23,washer 22, and plug cap 18 and is attached to a ring 35 to facilitateremoval. The projectile equipped with my fuse is carried by a releasemechanism mounted on the plane and is provided with a safety wire 36suitably connected to the fuse in a manner similar to the cotterpin 34and which serves to function as a locking means. for the fuse untilengaged and withdrawn by a hook forming a part of the releasingmechanism when the projectile is released.

When the safety wire 36 is withdrawn during the releasing operation, theprojectile falls earthward and sets in motion the air propellers whichrotate to unscrew and partially withdraw the spindle carrying theplunger and sear until the sear is cammed out of engagement with theplunger by the beveled lower end of the plug 16, whereupon the plungerunder the influence of the plunger spring 28is forced against the plug31 and the firing pin strikes the primer a uniform blow. Flash from theprimer is communicated to the explosive charge through the port 33.either serve to destroy the.project1le or to eject a flare or-signal.

It will be noted that by virture of the relative length of the enlargedhead of the plunger and the distance through which the spindle iswithdrawn, the plunger may be released to the primer cup and be guidedthroughout its entire travel by the spindle, thereby centering thefiring pin upon contact wlth the primer.

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described suchcombination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferredemobdiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize thefact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive whenmade in the light of-the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A fuse embodying a fuse body having an inclined inner wall portionunitin unequal bores, a guide plug having its ower 'end beveled,partially inserted within the body and spaced from the inclined innerThe explosive charge may shaft.

wall, a pro eller shaft within the guide plug and movab e longitudinallythereto, a plunger within the shaft, 9. locking element carried by theshaft and engaging the plunger, said element adapted to be cammed by theguide plug up the inclined inner wall to release the plunger.

2. A fuse embodying a fuse body, a dividing wall formed within the body,a plug carried by the dividing wall and adapted to seat a primer, aguide plug partially inserted within the body, a hollow shaft within theguide plug, an air propeller for rotating the shaft, a plunger withinthe shaft, a scar rotatable with the shaft vand engaging the plunger,said sear adapted to be disengaged from the plunger by the guide plug.

3. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a shaft associated with thepropeller and movable longitudinally of the fuse, a plunger within theshaft, a scar rotatable with the shaft and engaging the plunger, andmeans carried by the fuse and embracing the shaft for camming the searout of engagement 8 with the plunger.

4. A fuse embodying an air propellema hollow'shaft rotatable with the"propeller and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plungerwithin the shaft, a'firing pin formed on the plunger, means carried by'the shaft for preventing independent longitudinal movement of theplunger, means for 'disengaging the aforesaid means, and a primerengageable by the firing pin.

5. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with thepropeller and adapted to move longitudinalllf of the fuse, a plungerreleaseably carrie by the shaft and means for releasing the plunger, wesaid plunger adapted to be guided by the shaft throughout its entireindependent longitudinal movement.

6. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with thepropeller 105 and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plungerwithin the shaft, a sear for retaining the plunger in unarmed position,and means for arming the plunger.

7 A fuse embodying an air propeller, a' 11 0 hollow shaft rotatable withthe propeller and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plungerwithin the shaft, means for preventin independent longitudinal move-,ment of t e plunger, and means'for releas- 116 ing said means.

8. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with th epropeller and adapted to move Iongoitudinally of the fuse, and a plungerrel'as'a 1y earrie'd by the 120 SAMUEL WILEY.

